EAPC fuel switch, Kenya
East African Portland Cement soon intends to shift its source of energy from oil fuel to coal as other increasing number of local companies set to start generating their own electricity to help lower power costs, improve reliability of supply and add new sources of revenue.
The company has already announced plans for a coal plant that includes the recycling of waste heat from its kilns.
"Cost of power has become a major concern for every industry, and we don’t see the cost of power coming down. So most people who can afford to produce their own electricity are actually going for it," said Eng. John Nyambok, the company’s Managing Director.
He said these will also see the company come up with more environmentally-friendly products and by-products which will help in value addition.
Eng. Nyambok said the installation of coal and bio-fuels by the company will help reduce the cost of energy drastically and enable the company save close to Kshs. One billion per year.
He noted that the company spend about KES2bn every year in fuels and oil used to heat low materials saying this will now go down to about 50 per cent.
The MD said the cost saved in production will go towards upgrading of the existing facilities and also giving back to the society through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. Published under Cement News
